CIO: Five Lessons from Microsoft on Cloud Security

http://www.cio.com/article/500505/Five_Lessons_from_Microsoft_on_Cloud_Security?source=rss_how_to

InfoWorld: Five myths about Software as a Service (SaaS)

http://www.infoworld.com/article/09/03/23/Five_myths_about_SaaS_1.html

Software as a service is still misunderstood by IT and business decision-makers, so it’s time to bust the five most common misconceptions.

More Security Loopholes Found In Google Docs

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/26/more-security-loopholes-found-in-google-docs/

While I’m a big fan of  Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, you need to understand that putting confidential and proprietary business information out int he “cloud” is not without risks. And while the allure of Google’s free applications to replace Microsoft’s Office suite is appealing, it’s not without it’s own set of issues.

CIO: Cloud Computing: Pros and Cons

http://www.cio.com/article/492880/Cloud_Computing_Pros_and_Cons

Another great article that will help you understand the pros and cons of Cloud Computing (on of the latest industry “buzz words”) for your business.

CIO – FAQ: Cloud Computing, Demystified

http://www.cio.com/article/492879/FAQ_Cloud_Computing_Demystified

Good article the explains one of the latest “buzz” topics, Cloud Computing.

Google plays down security concerns over Docs

http://www.infoworld.com/article/09/03/30/Google_plays_down_security_concerns_over_Docs_1.html

While I’m a big proponent of Software as a Service  (SaaS), this article, while focused on Google’s SaaS answer to Microsoft Office, also points out issues with storing confidential and propriety information out in hosted services on the Internet.

By posting this, I don’t mean to say that SaaS is inherently insecure or bad (we actually provide several SaaS solutions for our clients), but you do need to understand the risks and ensure that adequate security is in place before you allow confidential and proprietary information to be stored in the “cloud”.

InfoWorld: 16 ways IT can do less with less

http://www.infoworld.com/article/09/03/16/11FE-16-ways-it-can-do-less-with-less_1.html

Much good advice in this article, especially as it pertains to SaaS.

Businesses ride the trend of selling software as a service

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/01/26/focus4.html?b=1232946000^1766903

A great article about Software as a Service (SaaS).  Have no doubt, this is the way much if not most software will be delivered in the not-too-distant future. If your organization is still building or buying and deploying traditional client-server software applications, now is the time to learn about SaaS solutions and how they can drastically reduce your Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

We currently have 16 customers from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses using one of our SaaS applications with amazing success and this is the direction we are heading for most of our customers.

I have  a PowerPoint of the presentation I did for ITEC Cincinnati in 2006 and would be happy to share it if you’d like more information.